


Programming

by AgentStannerShipper



Series: Fictober 2019 [28]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, no actual sex therapy in the fic, science conferences, this was the week we talked about sex therapy in class
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-25 23:11:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21364222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentStannerShipper/pseuds/AgentStannerShipper
Summary: Tasha gets the feeling Data might be uncomfortable.
Relationships: Data/Tasha Yar
Series: Fictober 2019 [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540126
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	Programming

**Author's Note:**

> For fictober day twenty-eight: “Enough! I heard enough!”

There are some things that Tasha has a sixth sense about, although according to Data, humans technically have well over the five traditional senses usually considered – not all of which, he has added on occasion, he has been programmed to possess. So just as Data can pick out individual threads of dozens of music programs playing at once, or name every ingredient and their proportion in any dish he attempts to consume, Tasha has her own highly refined sense, built from watching out for a younger sister on a world in chaos. Tasha knows when people are uncomfortable. Sometimes before they know themselves.

Federation symposiums were never really her thing, especially not the science conferences. She’s always considered a sporting event, or some new defense class she’d yet to take, better uses of her time. Data had even graciously offered her an out. “You do not have to come with me,” he’d told her. “Requiring you to participate with me in activities that you do not wish to engage in can foster resentment. If we are secure in our relationship, there is no need to constantly be doing things together.” Tasha had laughed and told him to stop reading relationship how-to guides. And she had to admit, the conference was more interesting than she’d expected. The week of shore leave they’d planned wouldn’t have been anywhere near enough to see every new invention and innovation the Federation’s scientists were coming up with, even if they spent all day every day there. But Tasha had attended panels on phaser modifications, security grids, and a half a dozen other theories and prototypes that had fascinated her, and she’d even managed not to doze off in the advanced cybernetics panels that Data was interested in.

They were at one of the evening mixers, where Tasha had been chatting with a Denobulan scientist about a piece of recreation tech he’d been developing, when she’d felt that prickling along the back of her neck. She glanced around the room, locating Data with surprising difficulty – a humanoid, even one with shiny yellow skin, didn’t stand out much in such a mixed crowd. He was in the midst of a group of scientists, most of whom seemed to be amicably discussing something in pairs or triads. The one closest to Data was a woman.

Tasha wasn’t the jealous type by nature, and she’d always resisted the idea of being possessive, particularly with Data, who in many cases was often still viewed as a possession. Seeing women – or anyone attracted to men, for that matter – around Data didn’t usually bother her. But there was something about the way this woman had a hold on Data’s arm, the way Data kept looking down at it and back again, that raised her hackles. She excused herself from her conversation partner politely, pasted a smile on her face, and made her way across the room.

As she got closer, she could hear the woman saying, “I’ve been especially been focused on Doctor Soong’s work with your sexuality programming. I’ve always thought there was tremendous opportunity for application there. Just think, sex therapists who _by definition_ can’t fall in love with their patients! It’s the perfect ethical model!”

“Actually,” Data began, and then stopped as Tasha slipped to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. He looked down at her. She didn’t say anything, just smiled up at him and then at the cyberneticist across from them. With the barest quirk of a smile, Data extracted his arm from the woman’s grip, placing it on Tasha’s shoulder before addressing her again, “Doctor Avellyan, this is Lieutenant Natasha Yar. Tasha is the chief of security on board the Enterprise, as well as my partner.” Although he did not clarify the kind of partnership, Tasha saw the way Doctor Avellyan’s face fell as she glanced between them, and knew she had understood. Data looked down. “Tasha, this is Doctor Avellyan. Her fields of study are cybernetics and sexual therapy.”

Doctor Avellyan smiled weakly. “I…I don’t know what you heard…”

“Enough.” Tasha gave the doctor her best, nose-scrunching fake smile. “I heard enough.”

“I didn’t mean to imply that Data couldn’t have relationships…”

“I do not mean to be rude, Doctor,” Data said, “but in saying that an android with my programming could not, by definition, fall in love, you did explicitly imply that. What I feel for Tasha may not be love in human standards, but I believe it to be a similar enough approximation to have value.”

Doctor Avellyan blushed. “I’m sorry. I…I think I should…” She pointed vaguely over her shoulder, tripping back over her feet and nearly crashing into a Vulcan before scurrying away. Tasha grinned after her, then adopted a look of innocence when she felt Data’s eyes on her.

“What?”

“You know I am capable of defending myself, Tasha.”

“I know. But you seemed uncomfortable. I thought you might appreciate the moral support.” She bit her lip. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“No,” Data said, and there was something in his inflection that made her grin wider, sure he was making a joke, “I am not mad.” He looked around, and then back to her. “I think it might be best if we retired for the day. Would you like to return to the hotel?”

“Mmm, yes, please.” Tasha squeezed Data and then released him, taking his hand instead, threading their fingers together. “You know, I think there is one thing that Doctor Avellyan and I have in common.”

“Oh?” Data cocked his head, falling into step beside her as they made their way out of the conference building and onto the busy street beyond. “What is that.”

Tasha winked. “I’m pretty interested in your sexuality programming too.”

Data didn’t laugh, but he did smile. And android or not, Tasha could swear there was affection in his eyes.


End file.
